I Was Today Years Old When I Learned *This* Makes Perfume Last So Much Longer

To say our beauty team loves fragrance is an understatement. We wax poetic often about our favorites in our Slack channel, but the question remains—how do you get your beloved signature scent to last all day? Well, there’s no completely straightforward answer, but there are a few key tips you should know if you want to make your perfume last longer. I tapped two experts to give us a bit more insight. 

According to Brianna Arps, fragrance expert and Moodeaux founder, it’s first important to understand what makes up a fragrance. “Most perfumes and colognes are composed of three layers with top, middle, and base notes,” she says. “Top notes are the elements of a fragrance you smell first. They’re an introduction for what’s about to unfold, if you will. They tend to evaporate rather quickly, making room for the middle notes—the ‘heart’ or ‘body’ of the scent—to develop and take center stage. When those dissipate, you’re left with base notes that serve as the fragrance’s anchor. They usually consist of rich, deep elements like sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, and musk, for example, that impart the longest-lasting impression.”

For insight on how you can give your favorite perfume a boost of longevity, keep reading. There are lots of good tips ahead.